Recently, we were given an assignment that involved speaking with a friend who holds different beliefs about the arguments for the existence of God. Upon hearing my task, I became very anxious. Immediately, one of my atheist friends came to mind, but for fear of causing conflict between us, I decided to go to Columbus to talk to strangers instead. I returned from this outing unsuccessful, of course, and I knew what God wanted me to do. I decided to make a post, asking if anyone would be interested in having a religious discussion. That friend, Grace, the one I had been thinking about, reached out. I started that conversation with the argument I was most comfortable restating: the Moral Argument. We didn’t get very far, no conclusions were reached, and it seemed I had failed until I got a text from someone unexpected.
Another friend, Riley, responded and expressed her fascination with philosophy, humanity, and religion. This sparked several emotions. I was confused, because I hadn’t expected this acquaintance to reach out, excited, because this was my second chance, and afraid, because she claimed to be knowledgeable on several complex topics. I feared that because she had been pursuing these studies longer than me, she would be able to easily refute my points. Despite my fear, I scheduled the call. I realized that before, I had opted for my comfort and not taken into account what Grace actually needed to hear. Because she had different obstacles than I presented an argument for, it didn’t land.
I found a quiet place and listened to some worship music to get into the right mindset. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to make an impression on her, but then I heard the lyric, “O God, the battle belongs to You.”
A wave of peace and comfort fell over me as I was reminded that it’s not up to me to win her to Jesus. It is up to me to obey and to let the Holy Spirit move in her heart.
This time, I started by asking Riley about her background and her obstacles. She mentioned the universe, leading into a conversation about the Kalam Cosmological Argument. Although she didn’t say much, she didn’t object much either, seemingly acknowledging that she at least understood the merit of my argument. When I began to explain that what caused the universe would have to be immensely powerful to create something so complex, she agreed and gave the example of consciousness and how “we don’t really know where it comes from.” This led into the Argument for Consciousness, and at some point, she mentioned the word “objective,” leading into the Moral Argument.
When we were coming to a close, I asked if she saw the plausibility of my arguments, and she responded positively, thanked me, and asked me to send her an outline of what we had discussed so she could do some more personal research.
As I ended the call, I saw that God had given me a person who sought truth, the truth that she sought, and a second chance to see Him work. Finally, I had been able to submit my fear to the Lord, and He used me to make an impact. My first significant step of obedience.
Victory Taliaferro, Class of 2027
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